Dog Training Instructors

Stacey Campbell

Stacey is a graduate of the San Francisco Academy of Dog Trainers, where she also earned a training certificate specializing in dog-dog aggression. She teaches a variety of classes for the San Francisco SPCA. Her specialties include obedience and dog sports classes.

Stacey has two rescue dogs, Penny, a 14-year old beagle mix, and Roo!, a 4-year old Husky mix. Stacey and Roo! compete in obedience, rally, and agility. In 2012, Roo! ranked as one of the top-five All American Agility dogs in the country and qualified to compete in the 2012 AKC Agility Nationals. Roo!'s titles include CD MACH AAD JM MB-RN.

Stacey is an active member of the Mixed Breed Club of California, The Bay Team and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She also owns Go Fetch Dog Training, which specializes in training dogs with separation anxiety.

Brenda Cawley

Brenda graduated from the SF SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers with an Honors CTC / Certificate in Training & Counseling. She's also a full member of The Association of Pet Dog Trainers and a DogTec certified dog walker.

Brenda has two dogs. Finn is a 14-year-old Lhasa Apso who is hearing impaired but is a scenting powerhouse. He graduated from the Senior Scholars class at the SF SPCA. Jake is an 8-year-old Border Collie-Shepherd. Jake participates in musical canine freestyle, a sport in which training, teamwork, music and movement combine to create an artistic, choreographed performance.

The owner of Dog in Training, Brenda’ specialties include puppy and adolescent dog training, fearful dogs, families with children and helping people train their dogs in preparation for a baby’s arrival.

Michele Garlick

Michele is a Certified K9 Nose Work® Instructor and owner of Whole K9, LLC. She is a graduate of The Marin Humane Society's Canine Behavior Academy and Bob Bailey's Chicken Camps.

Michele's active memberships include the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, The Police and Working K-9 Foundation and Golden State German Shepherd Rescue. She shares her home in the East Bay with Loic, a 6 year-old German Shepherd.

Althea Karwowski

Althea is a graduate of the SF SPCA VIP dog training internship. She owns Sit Stay SF, providing private training and dog walking services. Althea is a DogTec certified dog walker and certified in pet first aid. As a volunteer trainer at the SF SPCA, Althea focuses on behavior modification with shy and fearful shelter dogs, mentors volunteers, and is a member of the Special Care Unit. Althea apprenticed with Brenda Cawley in Bravery and Just the Basics for Shy Dogs public classes. Althea teaches Just the Basics, New Dog 101 and Shy Dog 101.

Ruthanna Levy

Ruthanna Levy graduated from the San Francisco SPCA Dog Training Academy in December 2000 and became a Professional Dog Trainer after 2 successful careers; one in dance and one in cooking. She trained at San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy and worked in several of San Francisco’s most prestigious restaurants. Prior to becoming a Pet Dog Trainer, Ruthanna spent 15 years as a professional theatrical dancer, culminating in her selection to participate in the opening and closing ceremonies to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

One day a young girl walked into one of Ruthanna’s early Puppy Training classes and said, “You have the best job in the world, you get to play with puppies every day, what’s better than that?”

In addition to training Puppies AND People, she has found a way to combine her new vocation, dog training with her previous avocation, dance. The result is Musical Canine Freestyle, aka Doggy Freestyle, which combines dog training with movement and music, and provides a wonderful and enjoyable way to train adult and puppy dogs.

Ruthanna offers Doggy Freestyle Workshops and Classes, a full range of Puppy and Dog training classes and Private Consultations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Ruthanna lives with her husband Jeff, a Graphic Designer, her dogs Ziggy and Breaker along with the kitties, Hootie, Poppy Seed & Roxie Heart.

Michelle Martens

Michelle graduated with honors from the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers in 2008. After graduating from the Academy, she completed an internship with the San Francisco SPCA Behavior & Training Department. In addition to successfully completing the internship, Michelle earned speciality certificates in Curriculum Design and Puppy Socialization. Michelle is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and a DogTec certified dog walker. She is also certified in Pet First Aid. Michelle has been teaching a variety of classes at the San Francisco SPCA since 2011.

Michelle is also the owner of Contemporary Canine, a dog training and behavior consultation service. She specializes in puppy and adolescent socialization, development, and training. In addition to specializing in all things puppy and basic manners training, Michelle frequently works with shy and fearful dogs, reactive dogs, and resource guarders.

Michelle is the guardian of a rescue pup named Izzy and two cats adopted from the SPCA named Miss Melody and Leo.

Kimberlee Miller

Kimberlee Miller is a graduate of Marin Humane Society receiving her CBA 1 and 2 and Behavior Counseling Certificate. She is currently studying at the Academy for Dog Trainers, in pursuit of her Certificate of Training and Counseling. She will also soon be receiving her CPDT (Certified Pet Dog Trainer) credential. She has several years of experience training dogs and their humans, most recently at Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF). Kimberlee teaches Puppy Manners, Puppy Socials, Adolescent Manners, Just the Basics, Just the Basics 2 and Reactive Rover at the SF SPCA, in addition to private training on a wide variety of topics. She shares her home with her two dogs, Jet and Bella.

Kim Moeller

Kim has her CPDT-KA, (Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed), and is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. She is the dog-dog socialization and rehabilitation expert at the SF/SPCA, where in 2002 she was awarded an honorary certificate in dog-dog aggression by Jean Donaldson. She is the author of Reactive Rover: An Owner's Guide to On Leash Dog Aggression and has written articles for various industry publications. Kim has become a respected authority on dog-dog issues, speaking across the country and internationally, in places as far-flung as Spain and New Zealand. Several of her seminars and workshops have become popular DVDs for trainers looking to hone their dog-dog practices. She has two Bichons, Willie and Kitty.

Jeff Murray

Jeff holds a CTC / Certificate in Training & Counseling from the SF SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers. He is also the trainer for the SF SPCA's Animal Assisted Therapy Program, which incorporates the MESCAAT (Mastery, Empathy and Social Conscience through AAT) Program. Jeff works part time at a small dog daycare in the Sunset as well as boarding dogs in his South San Francisco home. He is an evaluator for the AKC's Canine Good Citizen Program and the guardian of Sophie, a yellow Labrador and two 17-year old cat sisters.

Shoshi Parks

Shoshi Parks, Ph.D., is the owner and head trainer at Modern Hound Dog Training and Care in San Francisco. She completed an internship in dog training and in teaching public classes at the SF SPCA and graduated from the Canine Behavior Academy (I & II) at the Marin Humane Society. Shoshi is certified in Pet First Aid, is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and is certified by San Francisco as a professional dog walker. Shoshi also volunteers as a trainer and teaches a class for senior dogs at Muttville Senior Dog Rescue and is on the Special Care Unit team at the SF SPCA, providing care for at-risk shelter dogs. She has written articles on dog training for Bay Woof and has a regular column in SF's NOPA neighborhood newsletter.

Lilly Pritchard

Lilly owns Positive Force Dog Training and specializes in fear and aggression in her private training. She has completed an SF SPCA Academy internship in dog-dog aggression.

She holds an honors CTC / Certificate in Training & Counseling from the SF SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, is a CPDT-KA, (Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed), and is a professional member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers.

Lilly was voted as the Bay Woof "Beast of the Bay" Best Private Dog Trainer for 2014

Erika teaches public dog training classes at the San Francisco SPCA. She has two dogs, Orion and Loba. Orion is a 4 year old Cattle/Jack/Schipperke mix who is a graduate of Basic Training 101 and 201, as well as tricks, canine circus and stunt dog classes. He is currently learning freestyle and agility, where they continue to build his repertoire of tricks and moves. Loba is a 4 year old Sable German Shepherd who is a graduate of Reactive Rover 1 and 2, and is excellent in nose work. She is currently developing her skills as she hunts for the scent of birch both indoors and out.

Erika has experience in shelter dog enrichment with Give a Dog a Bone, the custody dog program at SF Animal Care and Control. She also has experience in shelter management, including behavior evaluations, and dog rescue community work. She teaches SF SPCA volunteer classes and is a volunteer mentor. She teaches Reactive Rover classes, as well as many others.

Her interests include working with reactive dogs, reactivity prevention, basic training, fun tricks, and nose work. Her emphasis is on compassion and fun for both dog and handler, to develop a team dynamic with fun as part of the solid foundation.